Vessel for containing compressed or liquefied gases.



` Patented Oct. 3I`, i899. A. SWEETSER 8f. A. PRINGL'E.

VESSEL FR CONTAINING COMPBESSED 0B LIIIUEFIED GASES.

\App1ication tiled Aug. 4, 1899,)

(-No Model.)

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UNITED 'STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ALFRED swEETsER, oF LONDON, AND ANDREW FRI'NGLE, oF EEXLEY- HEATH, ENGLAND. l

VESSEL FOR CONTAINING CONIFRESSED ORl LIQUEFIED GASES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 636,083, dated October 3l, 1899.

Application inea August 4, 1899.

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that we, ALFRED SwEETsER, residing at 10 St. Faiths road, rIulse Hill, London, and ANDREW-1 PRINGLE, residing at Cromwell House, Bexleyheath, in the county of Kent, England, subjects of the Queen of Great Britain and Ireland, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Vessels for Containing Compressed or Liqueed Gases, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to vessels for containing conipressed or liquefied gases, and has for its object improved means for closing the end or ends of such vessels whereby ready access is afforded to the interior and the bursting'of the Vessels explosively by excessive pressure of gas is made practicallyimpossible.

The chief feature of our invention relates to the employment of a tension rod or bolt for holding the closing device or devices in place, said rod being so proportioned that when the pressure of gas in the vessel becomes excessive the rod stretches and allows the cap or closing device to lift and relieve the pressure. Our invention also includes improvements in detail, as hereinafter described.

Referring to theaccompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a central longitudinal sect-ion of a gas vessel furnished with closing devices at both ends in accordance with one form of our invention. Fig, 2 is a similar section of another gas vessel permanently closed at one end and having a modified form of our invention applied thereto. Fig. 3 is a section on the line y y, Fig. 2.

Like letters and numerals of reference denote corresponding parts in the several iig? ures. 1

Referring to Fig. 1, A is the tubular shell or body of the gas vessel, open at both ends. It may be of uniform diameter throughout; but we prefer to reduce its diameter, as shown, at nach end, so as to. diminish the area of, andconsequently the pressure on, the caps B B, which close the ends. Each of said caps has a shoulder 1, resting against the end of the vessel, and a reduced part 2, which fits Serial No. 726,162. (No model.)

loosely in the neck of the vessel, the said neck being preferably made slightly tapering, with the larger end outermost.

C is a central bolt extending the whole length of the vessel and passing through the caps BB and having nuts D E screwed upon its ends, whereby the caps are held tightly and firmly in place. Leakage of gas between the caps and the neck of the vessel and between the caps and the bolt is effectively pre vented by annular rings F, made of lead or other suitable softV metal or in some instances of gutta-percha or other suitable material. The said rings are formed with inner anges 3 and outer flanges 4., the former to bear against the bolt and the latter to bear against th'e neck of thevessel. The rings are suitably mounted on the bolt and rest with their flat sides against the inner faces of the caps B,.and the pressure of the gas in the vessel presses the iianges 3 and 4. tightly against the bolt and neck, respectively, thus preventing leakage. The sectional area of the bolt C is so proportioned in respect to the area of the inner faces'of the caps B that in the case of excessive and dangerous pressure being from any cause generated in the vessel such pressure acting on the caps B will operate to stretch the bolt in excess of the stretch of the vessel, and so by raising the caps B will afford relief without risk of explosion.

We utilize the bolt to form a part of the screw-valve for controlling the delivery of gas from the vessel. For this purpose we drill an axial hole G of suitable length from one end of the bolt and provide it with a screw-.thread to take the spindle H, which forms the valve. From the end of the hole G we continue with a smaller hole J, which leads through the side ofthe bolt and opens at 5 into the interior of the vessel. The corner 6 constitutes the valve-seat against which the tapered end of the spindle H bears when the spindle is screwed in. K is a nut screwing on the end` of the bolt and forming a gland or stuffing-box in a well-known manner, as shown in the drawings, to prevent the escape of gas past the spindle H. L is a boss to which the usual connection is made for the delivery of the gasr The passage in the said boss communicates with the hole G through an opening M in the side of the bolt.

When applied to gas vessels which are permanently closed at one end, as shown in Fig. 2, we secure one end of the rod C in the closed end of the vessel, preferably by riveting the end C2 of the rod, as shown, a collar C being provided on the rod to enable asound riveted joint to be made. The closing device in this modification is formed by the valve-body P, which is constructed to project into the neck of the vessel A and is drilled axially and screw-threaded to screw on the screw-threaded end of the rod C, as shown. Ve prefer to lighten that part of the valve-body which projects into the neck of the vessel by forming longitudinal channels, as at p, therein, but leaving acylindrical part p', which tits in the neck. p2 is a shoulder formed on the valve-body larger in diameter than the neck of the vessel, and p3 is a rounded corner which when the valve-body is screwed home on the rod C bears against the corner of the neck of the vessel and closes the neck. The action of the rod C in affording relief is precisely the same as dcscribed with reference to Fig. l.

The delivery of the gas from the vessel A, Fig. 2, may be effected in any suitable manner; but we prefer to accomplish this by constructing the delivery holes, passages, or ports and Valve the same as shown in Fig. 1, except that the smaller hole J (shown in Fig. l) instead of communicating with the vessel by the lateral hole or port 5, Fig. l, will be made to communicate with a small passage 5, leading from one of the longitudinal channels p to said smaller hole J. (Shown in Fig. 1.) Hence said passage 5 will be controlled by the valve H. (Shown in Fig. l.) Inasmuch as Fig. 1 clearly shows the smaller hole or port J, axial hole or port G, valvespindle H, and opening M, we do not consider it necessary to duplicate these parts in Fig. 2.

Our improved closing device allows of obtaining ready access to the interior of the vessel and is very eiective as a closing device while insuring relief when the pressure becomes excessive.

7e claiml. The combination with a gas vessel, of means for closing the neck, and a tension-rod arranged to hold said means against the vessel and to stretch and so afford relief when the internal pressure becomes excessive, substantially as described.

2. The combination with a gas vessel open at both ends, of means for closing the ends, and a tension-rod arranged to hold said means against the vessel and to stretch and so afford relief when the pressure becomes excessive, substantially as described.

8. The combination with a gas vessel, of means for closing the neck, a gas-check to prevent leakage, and tension-rod to hold said means against the neck and to stretch and s0 afford relief when the internal pressure becomes excessive, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof we have hereunto set our hands in presence of two subscribing witmesses.

ALFRED SVVEETSER. ANDREW PRINGLE.

Witnesses:

GEORGE HARRISON, IZA RUSSELL. 

